This is an article from the October 2017 edition of NAAE’s News & Views Newsletter. To read News & Views in its entirety, please visit this link.

In a recent announcement, DuPont Pioneer has committed $175,000 in grants to help fund professional development training and classroom resources for agriculture teachers across the nation through Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Grant recipients will be current or new CASE certified teachers implementing the rigorous, multi-year agriscience curriculum in their classrooms.

Teachers selected for the grants are able to use the funds to attend CASE Institutes, purchase equipment and materials, and conduct End-of-Course assessments through CASE Online.

For Sheryl Cleavinger, agriculture teacher at Riverside High School, in Kansas, receiving a DuPont Pioneer grant last year to attend the Food Science and Safety CASE Institute has helped her students grow exponentially.

“CASE provides my students with knowledge and life skills that they will be able to use in their future careers,” said Cleavinger.

Grant funding has allowed Cleavinger to keep her curriculum, materials, and equipment updated, so that her students receive the most relevant education possible.

“My students enjoy the hands-on activities that CASE provides,” said Stamper. “By having less lecture and more applied learning experiences, they have been able to learn more and apply their knowledge at home. For instance, I ask them to bring in water from around their house for water quality testing as part of the NRE course.”

Stamper also adds that without grant funding, she would not be able to attend CASE Institutes or purchase the supplies and equipment to properly facilitate the CASE curriculum.

Another story of CASE curriculum success comes from Liz Tinaglia, agriculture teacher at Owatonna High School, in Minnesota. Tinaglia was able to attend the CASE Natural Resource and Ecology Institute thanks to her DuPont Pioneer grant. Her grant also allowed her to purchase the necessary equipment to properly implement CASE and provide her students with rigorous and relevant curriculum, which has resulted in higher test scores and student achievement.

“CASE aligns with national core content standards,” said Tinaglia. “My students are able to take what they know and apply it outside of my classroom and in their core classes.”

Each year, there are more and more stories of student success and achievement thanks to the rigor and relevance of CASE curriculum. Oftentimes it is thanks to the support of agribusinesses through grant or scholarship funding that teachers are able to attend CASE Institutes and implement the curriculum in the classroom. DuPont Pioneer is a strong supporter of agricultural education because they understand the importance of supplying the agriculture industry pipeline with knowledgeable and qualified employees – a significant focus of CASE.

“Supporting agricultural science teachers through continuing education and classroom equipment is one way we are striving to assure food security for the projected 2050 population of 9 billion people,” said Robin Habeger, Academic Outreach Manager at DuPont Pioneer.

CASE would like to take this opportunity to thank DuPont Pioneer for their continued support of its curriculum and agricultural education.

For more information about the newly available grants and to apply, follow this link. The application deadline is Monday, November 13th.